Marine Conservation

As part of the Protected Areas Program, we carry out coastal and marine conservation efforts through the administration and technical support of the Forever Costa Rica Trust.

The trust’s primary objective is to address threats to Costa Rica’s coastal, marine and oceanic biodiversity and ecosystems.

The Forever Costa Rica Trust works in 15 marine protected areas prioritized by the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC).

Prioritized areas

Achievements in 2023

Projects by

US$ 0

Prioritized Marine
Protected Areas

Featured Projects:

1. Marine-Coastal and Oceanic Sites of Conservation Importance in Costa Rica

The process lasted 9 months and involved the compilation of information generated from 2008 to 2023; 4 workshops with key stakeholders from the academic and institutional sectors, NGOs, marine users, and independent researchers (90 participants); 1 consultation workshop with users from the fisheries and tourism sector (27 participants); and 1 event to present the results (21 participants).

A standardized methodology was developed to identify 35 Sites of Conservation Importance (SIC), 25 in marine-coastal environments and 9 in oceanic environments. The total area covered by these SICs is 264,228 km2, equivalent to 45.6% of Costa Rica's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

Recommendations: A possible governance model for the protection of SICs includes reactivating the Marine Governance Commission (a permanent interministerial coordination body) and promoting the formalization of Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OMEC) in Costa Rica.

2. Climate Change and Mangroves in Guanacaste

The project focused on incorporating a specific chapter on adaptation and mitigation for the marine-coastal zone into the Regional Climate Change Adaptation Plan of the Guanacaste Conservation Area (ACG) and generating a technical-scientific information base for two mangroves.

These inputs support future decision-making regarding possible ecological restoration interventions.

Climate change adaptation and mitigation measures were designed based on climate scenarios, impacts on ecosystem services, and the area's vulnerability, as well as the human, physical, financial, natural, and social adaptive capacities of the ACG.

Some of the proposed measures include:

•Restoration of mangroves in the coastal strip of ACG, including bull shark (Carcharinus leucas) breeding sites.

•Integrated seagrass management.

•Increasing the area available for sea turtle nesting and relocation of leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) nests in shaded nurseries.

•Public dissemination of risks and climate change adaptation and mitigation measures.

Marine-coastal conservation

Protected Areas Program

The Marine Conservation Program is part of our Protected Areas Program. Learn more at:

Marine Conservation

Prioritized areas

Achievements in 2023

Featured Projects:

Marine-coastal conservation

Protected Areas Program

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¡6 proyectos por más de $340 000!